A collage circulating online purports to show former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan casting his vote for the general election while incarcerated. However, the India TV Fact Check team has debunked this claim, revealing that the photo is old and unrelated to the recent elections. While Khan did cast his vote, the image circulating is from a 2018 by-poll in Pakistan, not the 2024 general elections. Despite this, Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), backed independent candidates who are currently leading in the ongoing vote counting.
Opposition's stand
On the other hand, Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), trailing behind in the elections, plans to form a coalition government to gain a majority. The rivalry between Khan and Sharif remains a focal point of Pakistani politics.
Fact Check verification
The India TV Fact Check team conducted a reverse image search, tracing the photo to a news report by Pakistani outlet Dawn from October 14, 2018. The report featured images from by-polls, including Khan casting his vote in Islamabad's NA-53 constituency.
Khan's electoral participation
Despite being incarcerated for leaking state secrets and facing charges including terrorism and inciting violence, Khan exercised his voting rights via postal ballot from Adiala Jail. Other jailed politicians, including former ministers Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Fawad Chaudhry, also participated in the election process.
Conclusion
The dissemination of misleading images underscored the importance of fact-checking and vigilance in the digital age, particularly during crucial political events. As Pakistan awaits the election results, the integrity of information remains paramount in shaping public discourse.
Also read | FACT CHECK: Misleading claims circulating about CA Bhavani Devi's Paris Olympics qualification
